Her father, the late Raul Chavez, brought his recipe for the sweet, fried Mexican pastries to the Los Angeles area in the early 1970s, paving the way for more local churro bakers. But by 1984, Churrolandia, as Chavez’s business was called, closed its doors.

Nielsen recently resurrected her family inheritance and introduced another popular treat to Uptown Whittier via the opening of Churrolandia Bakery and The Funnel Cake Factory. The business at 7303 Greenleaf Ave. opened Aug.7.

“There’s not really much in the way of traditional Mexican bakeries here in Whittier,” said Dr. Terry Nielsen, Norma’s husband and chief financial officer for Churrolandia Bakery.

Despite its name, Nielsen’s business boasts of more than just fruit-filled churros and powdered sugar funnel cakes.

“The U.S. is a melting pot for all these cultures, and I wanted to bring that here, too,” Nielsen said.

Customers who want to purchase pan dulce are invited to take a serving tray and tongs and select their own pastries, as is customary in Mexico’s bakeries.

It’s a practice customer Lupe Nava appreciates. “You don’t have to tell someone what you want and wait for them to get it for you,” said Nava, 80, of Whittier.

Nielsen also brought popular Latino mementos into her store’s design. A mural inside the sit-down shop depicts icons of the Latino culture – such as Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Pedro Infante and Cantinflas – integrated with facets of Whittier.

“It’s Uptown, but in Mexico,” Nielsen said, pointing out images like that of local St. Mary’s Catholic Church in the mural.

Churrolandia is open from 6a.m. to 7p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays through Sundays.